Fashion sector in the EU

In Europe, the textile and apparel sector is a powerful manufacturing industry. Its strength is that every stage of the production chain is or can be located in the EU. Many growth trends have emerged in recent years. Exports, turnover, numbers of companies and employment have all increased.

The main textile and fashion producers in the EU are Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Poland, Romania and Austria. They produce clothing, carpets, home textiles, cellulose fibres and technical textiles used in various sectors.

European textile and fashion companies are mainly SMEs. They directly employ 1.69 million people, 70% of whom are women. Talented and skilled workers are essential to our industry in Europe. The sector will create more than half a million jobs in the EU by 2025[1].

[1] Euractiv “European Textiles and Fashion: Facts & Figures” https://www.euractiv.com/section/innovation-industry/infographic/european-textiles-and-fashion-facts-figures/